Our World: Season Seven
by Taylor Chasikin
Summary: The state of the world isn't as stable as they thought it was. LotRBtVSChildren of Dune MiniAliasOriginal idea
1. the intro exists here

Those Chosen Introductory Chapter

Title: Those Chosen, part One: Enter the Unknown

Author: same as always

Rating: PG-13

setting: Varies: New York City, Summer 2004, Our World Universe; Buffyverse, 2004; Duniverse, whenever; Middle-Earth, during movie-time

Warnings: uh, violence, possible swearing, eventual possibility of sexuality

Notes: This is about the 7th rewrite this frelling concept has undergone. This idea is based on the movie versions of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. That was all that the original concept had contained within it. Through the past two years, it has undergone multiple revamps and the idea now also contains Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Children of Dune, and possibly Peter Pan (unclear at this time how firm that will be). The original characters and concepts that come along with them are taken from The Hurston Game: a kind of pretend/RPG that my friends and I started when we were in elementary school and never really stopped doing. The Hurston Game turns 11 years old October 17th (which is also the day that the Farscape Mini-Series premieres on Sci-Fi. Watch it!!!) SO consequently, with so much background information to work with, the original characters already have a great deal of depth to them. And that was how they were originally intended to be written.

However the current incarnation of this idea is based of our new concept. My friends and I are working on adapting The Hurston Game into a TV series format that spans seven seasons and movies and mini-series. This concept would be a Mini-Series event that takes place during the 6th and 7th/final seasons. So therefore in this current version, six years worth of plot lines and such have already occurred and will be referenced within the story. I will do my best to explain them all, but if I miss anything or you wish to have something explained deeper, just let me know, and I will do my best to accommodate.

Dedication: To Gen, my P.i.C., and to the most inspiring inspirations: DM & JM. Damn them both to hell.

Disclaimer: A Large overall Disclaimer will appear in its entirety at the end of each bit. Each chapter will begin with a mini blurb that applies to whatever is contained within that may need disclaiming. I only claim the characters that Gen, Astro, Neo and I made up on our own.


	2. Previously in Our World

Disclaimer: The Buffy Universe and all the characters and such contained within are the property of Joss Whedon and those at Mutant Enemy. The Duniverse and all the characters and such contained within are the property of Frank Herbert and Brian Herbert, Artisan Entertainment and all those who are affiliated with those projects.

**Previously on Our World:**

The rundown (subject to change as story progresses and/or at request)

**Thunder Addams**

Thunder Addams became infected with a genetically engineered retrovirus, designed to target his heart and appear as a heart disease. The virus was designed in the far future and brought back in time to Buchman and Associates so that they would be able to eliminate the boy that history referred to as "the one who gave Him the power". So while Taylor is distracted and manipulated by the First, Thunder's health deteriorates to the point of no return. Upon Thunder's death, the truth of the situation is revealed unto Taylor and he falls into the Dark Vengeance streak. Only when the spirit of Thunder appears to him and bestows his forgiveness upon him is Taylor able to break free of the pain and grieve. (Season 2)

**The Duniverse saga**

Taylor's alternate, a.k.a Spike, is possessed by the First and casts a spell to destroy Taylor's mind, allowing the First to take over the Chosen and his power and regain control over the universe. But the spell doesn't quite go as planned: Taylor's mind isn't destroyed, but divided. Through the efforts of the Power of the Universe, the other parts aren't lost, but put into corporeal form using information from Taylor's own mind. The Dune Universe is brought to life and the creature Tahiir is created within it. However, Taylor and Tahiir share the same mind, the same life, and their dual existence creates instability. As Tahiir's existence within the Duniverse grows stronger, Taylor's existence in our own universe fades, until Taylor is fully absorbed into Tahiir's psyche. The only way for Taylor to regain his own existence is for Tahiir to die. Neah, Jilan, Justuce, Lenni and Mush travel into the Duniverse to bring this about, but Taylor himself thwarts them, as does Hosha, telling all involved that the situation must play out. (Season 3)

**Tahiir & Leto**

Tahiir was encountered in the desert by Leto Atreides II, whom saved the boy from death, thus triggering the Catalyst. Tahiir bonds himself to Leto under the life-debt, and thus enters into the service of the Atreides family. Tahiir's seemingly supernatural abilities earn him the nickname "Angel of the Desert" as his origins and really anything about the boy is a large unknown. This power and mystery places him under the suspicion of Alia, who has already fallen under the influence of Abomination. As events play out and move forward, it becomes clear that the relationship between Leto and Tahiir extends past that of master and servant, past even that of friends. It is in the act of love that Tahiir's existence becomes the dominant and Taylor's fades away. Tahiir gains full knowledge of Taylor and becomes aware of the circumstances of his creation, thus convincing him that he was an accident and nothing good can come from his existence. With the arrival of Neah and the others from Our World, Tahiir resigns himself to this fate, however Leto and Ghanima do not. Taylor however is the one who forces the group to realize that the situation is not in their hands, that it must play out as it would on its own. Therefore, Taylor directs Neah and the others to go to the city and appeal to Alia, increasing her paranoia. Tahiir sends Leto off on the Golden Path and he then returns with Ghanima to the city, to submit to what fate has in store. As Leto becomes the Desert Power, Taylor allows for both Tahiir and Leto to understand what is to come, what sacrifices must be made, even as Taylor questions whether or not he is the one who should live and not Tahiir. When the time for the wedding of Ghanima and Farad'n arrives, Leto reemerges, supported by his angel and the forces of Neah, increasing Alia's abomination and paranoid treachery. The demon Harkonnen compels Alia into killing Leto, which goes against the known events. Tahiir sacrifices himself and exchanges his life for Leto, allowing Taylor to return and Leto to live. Taylor helps Alia break free of her demons and she kills herself. The group returns to Our World, leaving the Duniverse to recover from the loss of Alia and Tahiir. (Taylor secretly appeals to Hosha and the Power to allow Tahiir his own separate existence. Tahiir and Leto are reunited in a secret sietch in the center of the desert of Arrakis. Only Taylor and Reese were aware of this.) (Season 3)

**The Buffyverse**

A vision from the Avatar sends Taylor and company to London where they must search for a boy that Taylor only knows as Dragon Boy or Angel. While there, a sealed portal is discovered to be causing instability in the universal continuum, allowing our universe and the Buffy universe to bleed into one another. It is learned that Our World exists as a TV show in the Buffy world, just as they exist as a TV show in ours. Taylor unites with the Slayer forces as the dark forces begin to reveal themselves. The Darkness seeks to open the sealed portal, for trapped on the other side is the means for them to obtain power and take over both universes. The key to this act is the blood of a rising pop star, Gabriel D'Angelo, who somehow has the blood of one of the Dragoni running through his veins. In the battle to protect both universes some of the Slayers 'die', including Buffy and Faith, as well as Taylor. But since their times have not yet come, they all are able to return to life and the badness is destroyed. This may not be as good a thing as was assumed. (Between seasons 5 and 6)

**Season 6**

**Taylor Chasikin**

His experience with death left Taylor remarkably shaken, but he refused to burden his friends with his own troubles since he felt that they all had too many of their own and he blamed himself for a good portion of them. He held within the fact that a part of him had actually wanted to die, so as to escape all the pain he had been through, that he had inflicted, and that he was afraid was still to come. The fact that the countdown was now under two years hit him hard and the visions of things still to come began to freak him out. After baring the immense stress and burden for so long, Taylor finally began to crumble. He could feel Ashlee's pain and felt guilty for it. He could feel Neah's resignation and felt guilty for it. Meanwhile, Alec and the Alternates and Katoi and the First were striking out at him and targeting the stability of the group. The First used Spike to terrorize Taylor's friends and family, and when that didn't work, it posed as Taylor himself. Taylor's life reached the point where his friends were confused and unsure of if he was really him; Halley asked him to stay away for a while because Spike (the First) had terrorized Electra in his form. Many little things began cropping up all over the world and Taylor was driven to the point of near madness with his obligation of responsibility. He broke away from the others and hid from the world, and in his isolation and instability, he looked back on all that had happened and became angry. He felt that he was just being used as a tool and that the others now took it granted, took him for granted that he would just always be there to take care of things. He felt that he shouldn't have been forced into the position he was in, that he shouldn't have to keep secrets and be so targeted by others. Returning with his fresh bitterness, He came back to the group upon the death of Mason. The guilt resurged within him and clashed with his bitterness, tearing him apart inside while Ashlee railed against him for keeping secrets. She told everyone about Taylor's prophetic visions and how he probably could have stopped every bad thing that happened long before it started. Feeling the anger and confusion and hurt all around, Taylor lost it completely and finally came out with full honesty. Offering full disclosure, he gave the others some idea of what happened during the two years; what it felt like to be manipulated by the first; what it felt like to watch Tahiir's life; how he was forced to stand by on September 11th and let things take place, all the while absorbing the full life experiences and death moments of everyone who was lost that day; How he prevented complete Armageddon on multiple occasions in one year; how his visions only became clear just before the moment arrived; how he wanted to die. Taylor's fear of their reactions finally won over and he ran away, where the First came upon him and further tore at his brain with guilt and grief and anger at the world in general. Then came the vision of Reese's death (Actually being his alternate). The First reminded Taylor that anger and hatred fed the First and all that was evil came from it, so that the anger and hatred and negativity of the world was what caused the death of Reese. Taylor's overwhelmed and less than sane mind fell once again into the Dark Vengeance, this time with a fury so unrelenting that it shook the world, literally. Plates shifted, volcanoes erupted, dams broke, fires started, storms and tornadoes came down with a fury that was described by the oblivious as "The Finger of God". Only through the intervention of Spike and Reese was he able to break free. All it took was one kiss. Taylor realized that Reese was alive; he had been tricked once again. The guilt resurfaced and it took all the love Reese had to rebuild his broken friend. Eventually Taylor was reborn from his pain, stronger and more determined then ever, and with Reese and Spike in tow, he returned to Fraiserland to take on Katoi. He was able to form a new friendship with Ashlee and Neah, allowing them a kind of understanding as to what all had happened to him and why he hid it from them, although the issue is never fully resolved. (What happened during the two years remains largely unknown to anyone, including Reese.) Taylor reaffirmed his love for his family and friends and Neah, still unable in his own mind to accept that after all that he has done, that he could be worthy of the purity that is Reese. Taylor now has to come to terms with the fact that countdown has dropped below 365 days until...

**Neahila Wonakowa**

After the experience in London, Neah was once again forced to reexamine her place in Taylor's life. Finally coming to terms more or less with the fact that she was never meant to be involved with him as a lover, she managed to gain a sense of peace with the situation. That was until she noticed Ashlee's strange behavior towards herself and Taylor. She became concerned for her friend, but then allowed herself to get distracted by the presence of another Chainkan. Neah sensed her Alternate's Chainkan presence before Katoi revealed itself to the group, so Neah enlisted Journey, Kea and Jantu in helping her track down this new Chainkan in the area. Using this as an excuse, Neah began to separate herself from the others, secretly making plans to leave Earth since she believed that her presence was no longer needed. Neah was greatly enraged by Katoi's possession of her alternate and took it rather personally. Neah took charge over dealing with Katoi and the Buchman Associates, which brought her distancing into the forefront for the others. Jilan and Justuce eventually confronted her and the trio's relationship became strained by the fact she would be leaving them. With the catalyst of Mason's death, Ashlee finally revealed the cause of her attitude and attacked Neah and Taylor for their secrecy. Neah became even more determined to leave with the self destruction of the group, deciding that Taylor and Ashlee didn't need her help. When Taylor fell into darkness again, Hosha confronted Neah and snapped some sense into her. With the truth revealed, Neah put herself aside and sought out Ashlee and the others. The girls reunified and took on Katoi and kept it at bay. Taylor returned and renewed his vow of love for Neah, confusing her since he brought Reese back with him. Neah is able to see through his denial and reassure Reese. She also comes to terms with that fact that she does have a place on earth still and her staying doesn't revolve around Taylor and Ashlee. She stays to help because she wants to.

**Ashlee Hamlynn**

While in London, Ashlee and Dawn compared notes on each other's lives. Ashlee was able to tell Dawn what happened on "Buffy" while she was elsewhere (not in the scene) and Dawn was able to do the same for Ashlee. Ashlee therefore learned many of the secrets Taylor and Neah had been keeping. She learned about his vision dreams, about the two years he spent in the future, about the times he spent with Reese; she learned what happened in the Duniverse, that Tahiir wasn't dead. She learned all of the things that Taylor and Neah kept from her and it hurt her deeply. She kept it inside allowing it to fester but also allowing it to influence her life subconsciously. Having her trust shattered in such a way made it difficult for her friends to deal with her. Gabriel D'Angelo, the singer they met in London, continuously attempted to interest her, but Ashlee kept herself out of reach and secluded. The strain of dealing with the Alternates and Alec and Katoi and the Buchmans caused Ashlee and the others to reach a breaking point and the group dynamic shattered. With the death of Mason, Ashlee revealed all the secret information that Dawn let her in on. It wasn't until Spike came to the girls for help that she realized how the First and Katoi had completely manipulated her and the others. Ashlee and Neah reforged their bond of friendship, reuniting with the others, allowing them to keep Katoi and Alec from succeeding long enough for Spike and Reese to reach Taylor. The girls and Taylor reforged their union and together remain strong. Ashlee also finally gave Gabriel some kind of hope after Taylor informed her of the promise in their future.

**Alec Carlson and the First**

After his younger brother David, the living incarnation of the First, was destroyed by Taylor and company, Alec and his minions began working on ways to return the First to its full strength. With the help of Neah Katoi, Alec was able to resurrect the First to power. Unfortunately this involved Katoi murdering Alec and his demonic siblings, allowing the First to absorb their energy and revitalize. The First kept its resurrection a secret from all except Katoi, whom it aided and guided in its attempts to gain power for the darkness. As Katoi began to become rogue, the First began to look once again towards its larger designs. By manipulating the Buchmans to cause the death of Mason, the First isolated Taylor from all of his friends, allowing it to trap him inside his own head, where it again posed as the Avatar and showed Taylor what would come of Katoi's continued influence. The First struck out at Taylor's separated friends and family, finally showing Taylor it's ultimate trump: the death of Reese (which was actually Alternate Reese). The First had hoped to use the form of Alternate Reese to manipulate the alternates and Taylor, but found that something blocked it from assuming Reese's form. Frustrated and Confused, The First withdrew and waited for its manipulations to play out. Unknown to all, the First compelled one of the Buchman clan to activate Katoi's device prematurely, allowing the First to escape into another universe where it continues its influence.

**Alternate Neahila Katoi**

After getting sent through the portal in Hawaii (season 5), Katoi found himself in the Alternate realm where Spike and his friends resided. The demon spirit lay low until a suitable body was able to be found: Neah. Like the one from Our World, she had arrived on Earth to help Taylor and the others bring a sense of justice and order and good things to their corrupt and damaged universe. Unfortunately she was possessed by Katoi before she could do so. Katoi used the power of this Chainkan body to gain complete control over the Alternates, blinding them to reality and allowing them only to see the power they could achieve. Alternate Reese was the only one not blind to this, and through his influence seeds of doubt were planted in Spike and his friends. Katoi brought the Alternates back into our world where they joined forces with Alec, who sought to bring the First back to its full strength. Katoi used her alluring power to seduce the Buchmans and their Associates into entering her service and doing her will. She contracted the Associates to begin building her a device that would allow her deconstruct the universe and rebuild it as she saw fit. The First began to distrust its servant and decided to have Katoi eliminated. The First created a complex plan which resulted in Taylor's second vengeance streak. The First hoped that Taylor would extract vengeance on Katoi, but when that failed, the First fell back and kept it's renewed presence hidden. When Taylor regained his control, he helped Neah channel her power and she was able to break through Katoi's hold on her Alternate. The two Neahs were able to talk and the Alternate allowed herself to be turned into Quela gemstone, trapping the Jaris demon Katoi inside. The entombed Katoi was given to Hosha to be placed under the watch of the Quagans. Katoi's device however, remains in the hands of the Associates and their informant from the Future.

**Alternate Taylor/"Spike"**

Spike was in a largely conflicted state of mind when he returned to Our World. He, like the others, had been seduced by Neah Katoi's promises of power. His lover, the Alternate Reese, however was doubtful. He saw the similarities between situation with Katoi and the situation that before had brought about the Duniverse event. A-Reese had no trust for Katoi and believed that no good would come from its desires. So strong was Spike's love for Reese and vice verse that Katoi's hold was broken and the two began to influence the other alternates away from its control. Katoi, who was more embroiled with the construction of its device at the time, was oblivious to this, but the First was not. The First seized upon this opportunity for chaos. After trapping Taylor in his own mind, the first possessed Spike once again. With Taylor watching, the First forced Spike to murder Alternate Reese, leaving Taylor with the impression that the First had murdered HIS friend. AS Taylor fell once again into vengeance, Spike was released from possession. Spike, thinking Katoi had manipulated him, renounced Katoi and swore vengeance against it for the death of the one thing in his long and tormented existence that he had loved. Spike went over to Ashlee where he revealed what Katoi was up to and how it had manipulated all of them. While the girls launched their reunited assault on Katoi and the Associates. Spike, realizing that Taylor was needed, immediately went to California to find Reese. Once Reese saved Taylor, the three boys returned to New York City where Spike reunited with his alternates and helped Taylor and the others defeat Katoi. Spike and the alternates returned to their universe for the second time, only this time without hope for their future, for their Reese and Neah were dead.

**Reese Baker**

In his second year at Berkeley, Reese was apart from the main actions that occurred during his absence. He remained blissfully unaware of the tensions and chaos and darkness that was building in his hometown. Taylor managed to keep all of that hidden from his friend. Only when Taylor fell into Dark Vengeance did he become aware that something was wrong, due to the global effects of his anger. Reese was shocked when Spike appeared in California, but became sympathetic to his friend's alternate upon learning of the circumstances of Taylor's new vengeance. Spike convinced Reese that only he could reach the consumed Taylor, only Reese had that kind of power. Upon Taylor's arrival in California, Reese fueled and protected via his love for Taylor, was able to brave the Vengeance Power Maelstrom of Taylor's and reach his friend, freeing him from his darkness. Reese comforted his friend and helped him refocus on the what he had to do. Reese returned with Taylor and Spike to Fraiserland, helping them in their defeat of Katoi. Reese then returned to Berkeley, once again with Neah's reassurance of Taylor's love for him.

**Mason J'nil**

Mason Huntley's latent abilities continued to surface in frightening ways. Although his genetic purpose to kill Ojalu was thwarted, his other genetically engineered traits still remained. The First seized on this opportunity. It convinced the Associates that Mason's continued existence was a liability so he therefore must be eliminated. Another virus was designed, this one implanted into the Addams Family. Marissa and her siblings became ill for a while due to unknown reasons. Upon returning to health, Marissa became the carrier, transmitting the virus to Mason. The virus seized upon a genetically implanted failsafe, triggering Mason's death. Mason's death and the departure of the symbiont J'nil became the catalyst that released the pent up negative tensions between Taylor, Ashlee, Neah, Justuce, Jilan and the others, splitting the group apart. J'nil returned to join with Marissa, allowing her some peace from the guilt of the part she played in Mason's death.

if you have questions in regards to any of the information here, don't hesitate to ask. I will do my best to answer all questions.

I realize that I don't cover Justuce or Jilan in this. Justuce is not my character and I have no idea what we will do with her for the sixth season but you can assume that it will be heavily involved with Neah and Jilan. I don't deal with Jilan because there's just too much else already being dealt with and another character would just make it difficult. Just assume the Jilan and Justuce become embittered towards Neah for her distancing and secretly planning to leave and other things Ashlee spurts out when she reveals all she learned from Dawn.


	3. Prologue: This is Not My Room

Disclaimer: Anything that may be mentioned in here that exists outside of my own brain belongs to other people. I am aware that much contained within this section is made up of inside background information, but I'm thinking it may not be necessary to actually explain in depth all of that info. However, if it is requested of me, I will add a more in depth explanation to the Glossary chapter. Just let me know.

"_Ten, Nine, Eight, Seven, Six, Five, Four, Three, Two, One,_

_Countdown to the Change in Life That's Sure to Come."_

-Creed, "Are You Ready?"

**Prologue**: **This is Not My Room**

"_Taylor."_ Wind rustled the curtains in the quiet room, making them billow and balloon out with each fine gust of cool air out of the summer night. Pale moonlight lit the room with ivory tones, casting dark shadows off of still and silent forms that filled the room with their presence.

"_Rise."_ Unmoving, he lay on the bed, the cover thrown back and draping onto the floor allowing the cool breeze to drift over his heated skin and create little bumps along the honey-colored flesh of his chest that was exposed to the night. His dark hair ruffled lightly in the breeze but he remained sound asleep, oblivious to the world around him.

"_Follow." _The wind gusted in suddenly carrying multiple whispering voices, all talking at once in a variety of different languages, some of them old, some of them new. The voices and the wind seemed to take on a kind of ethereal substance that washed over his body and caused him to stir from his quiet slumber. His body fought the force which was pulling him awake but it was of no avail. Soon, his eyes were slowly drifting open.

" _'Oia kali no 'oe."_ A voice. A familiar voice. His eyes blinked and turned towards the source of the sound. A shadowy figure stood on the fire escape behind the curtain. It stood in silent stillness, waiting. Another breeze wafted in, billowing the curtains and allowing for a glimpse of the person who stood beyond.

"Reese?" Taylor whispered, sitting up in his bed. It couldn't be. He wasn't due home from Berkeley for another two days, so how could he be outside his window in New York? "What are you..." he started but the figure outside began to move away. "Hey, wait!" Taylor called, swinging his legs over the side of the bed and quickly walking over to the open window.

He pulled the curtains wide apart in a flourish of movement, letting the bright warm glow of golden light flood into his room. He was confronted by a long dark corridor, ancient in appearance. It was made of stone and lit by torches near the entrance; the walls and ceiling disappeared into chilling darkness, a visual testimony to the size of the room. Taylor looked back over his shoulder and saw a large golden doorway, sealed shut behind him. "This isn't my room."

"No, it is not," said the voice. Standing there in the center of the hallway was Reese. Or so it appeared to be. It was the Avatar. He was dressed all in white, with hints of silver and gold. Loose baggy pants, a loose white shirt with a golden collar, and a long sheer white robe. His shaggy blonde hair glowed golden in the firelight and Reese himself seemed to have an inner glow as he smiled out at his friend.

"Where are we?" Taylor asked, peering past his friend to look at what appeared to be a small little light hovering in the darkness.

"The Temple of the Son," Reese said, watching Taylor as he walked closer to the small light. "In the Vault of Ages, the Hall of Time." He gestured to the long dark expanse behind him.

"What is this?" Taylor asked as he looked down at the tiny little glowing orb. It was just there, suspended in the air, glowing bright hot white light.

"This is the Nexus," Reese explained, bringing his hands up to either side of the orb. "The Apex, the Locus, the Before of the Beginning. This is the Pre-Time when existence as you know it had not yet been sparked. When all that was, was us."

"The nexus? What is the Nexus?" Taylor asked, looking at the being using his friend's image to speak to him.

"The center," The Avatar said, walking around Taylor and the orb in a slow circle, "outside of space, thought and time. The place where all things, all universes begin and branch out, including your own. Come," Reese extended his hand," The time has come to learn." He pulled Taylor over by the doorway and they stood facing out towards the orb and the darkness. " Long did we wait in the darkness before the beginning, waiting for the time of First Light to occur."

"First Light?" Taylor repeated, watching out towards the dark. Suddenly, as if in response to his words, the orb exploded, shooting out tiny bits of light all over the room, lighting up the entire hallway, and still leaving the far end in darkness. Taylor stared in awe as little spirals and discs of tiny little lights spread throughout the darkness of the Hall. "The Big Bang."

"All universes began in this moment, infinite in number and never-ending, ever expanding and multiplying," Reese began to slowly move forward, pulling Taylor with him. Taylor saw that there seemed to be faint little separations in room, like little fields that all intersected at the point where the Nexus had been. "We exist in all of these, in many forms, but they are not our current concern," The Avatar Reese continued. He led Taylor forward through a series or barriers until they came to One in particular, a glowing path stretched out before them down the hallway and all the other universes faded into the darkness behind them. "This is the Path of Ages," Reese explained, indicating the line of light, "that which we have been following since the beginning of time. You see, since before the beginning, we knew that at First Light the Path would be shown unto us, leading us towards that for which we waited. The Light came and through the many universes the One Path was revealed, in the universe that is yours. With that found, we were finally able to move forward."

The walls around them seemed to start moving of their own accord, coming towards them and then moving past them. Little galaxies spiraled and moved around them in random fashions, but all of this went unnoticed by Taylor. His gaze was fixed on the large, what appeared to be digital, clock that seemed to now hang from the ceiling. There were electric red numbers on it, rapidly decreasing, and he could make out words above the separations: Centuries, Decades, Years, Months, Weeks, Days, Hours, Minutes, Seconds. "The Countdown."

"Yes, like us, that has existed before the beginning as well," Reese said, looking at Taylor. "More as a feeling than an actual countdown. You can't really count down the minutes if time itself hasn't started." He smiled wryly.

Taylor smirked. "That does seem like it would be difficult."

"But with the Beginning, the Countdown appeared and has long been ticking down towards the many comings and events, foreshadowing all of the great moments and great people," Reese now looked forward, unwaveringly. "See, we now approach the First After the Light. The birth of the Great One and his ordering of the universe."

"Birth of the Great One?" Before Taylor a large dark shape rose, without any clear defining shape. But soon the form began to take on a more definitive shape, and two bright piercing glowing eyes shown out from the dark shape and gazed down upon them. With a blink of the eyes, the whole figure flashed with color and the image was clear: Ari'ena, the Dragon God of the Chainkans. "Ari'ena was born?"

"Our beloved son," Avatar Reese said, smiling proudly up at the large beast before them. He turned to see Taylor's surprised expression. "Yes, Son. We created the Creator. After all, he had to come from somewhere, didn't he?"

Taylor considered this quietly, turning back to the moving path before him. One of the galaxies had stopped before them and was growing in size, as if they were getting closer. It looked familiar. They zoomed forward through the stars and nebulae and comets and galactic objects until the reached a large plasmatic energy sphere. "What's that?"

"The Center of the Chosen Galaxy," the Avatar explained. "Location of Ho'kuu Eakahi." They zoomed in further and passed through the plasmatic barrier. Inside was a star, a bright star, orbited by three planets.

"First Star," Taylor translated Reese's words in his mind. "That would make this where Ari'ena the planet is."

"There," the Avatar pointed. One of the planets came closer and grew in size, it's appearance largely Earth-like. They continued through the atmosphere until they were passing Aeriel like over the landscape. "The Home world of the Ancient Ones."

Images of people appeared around them now. Dark skinned with long black hair. Beautiful people with piercing eyes. Their bodies were painted with intricate markings; they wore beads in their hair and jewels around their necks and arms and waists. They had an ancient primitive feel, but one that radiated an unspoken wisdom and power. "The Quagans," Taylor said as he recognized the ancient race, the oldest on all of the Ari'ena planet.

"The Quagans," Reese repeated, indicating the people before him. "The Kaatysians," A Felinoid people appeared, tall and bipedal, but very feline; "Meluu," Green people, light and graceful, mottled and beflowered due to their florific nature; "Umdai," Humanoid people with translucent skin and what appeared to be scales and gills and slight fin-like appendages; "Chainkans," Dark and exotic like the Quagans, but more modern in appearance, with an inner glow of fire; "Trium," The three animal races: Behenniei, the rabbits, Esomo, the 2-foot tall bipedal moose, and Mechuna, the small raccoonesque creatures; "Voda," Dark and solid, Broad and metallic, marked with shining, incandescent Tattoos; "Kudai," Offshoot of the Chainkans, simpler and mortal, hints of an Arabic desert look; "Jikari," Dark, Native looking people with forehead ridges in the shape of a scallop shell, each ending in a small, pointed horn; "And all others who came after," indicating to the variety of other species that appeared in the faint beyond. "Here we lingered for long and waited," Reese continued, "watched and waited as many other events were ticked off the Countdown."

"The Building of the Temple of the Mother," the image of a tall golden building rose before, covered in intricate designs and jewels, attended by the priestesses; "The Raising of the Portals," The circular Stargate field appeared before them and they passed through the image like the others before them; "The Rise of the Ruling Age," Kings, Queens, Chieftains and such appeared before the two; "and then, the First Darkness."

A darkness swept into and over and permeated the room and a shadowy figure emerged, like a wisp of cloud but with an aura of evil about it. "Iokita," Taylor said, recognizing the Jaris type of demon from his past experiences with Katoi, the son of Iokita.

"This was the first moment that Evil raised and revealed itself to us and the universe," Reese explained keeping his eyes locked on the demon before him. "But it was still young and foolish in the eyes of time and was easily put down for a while." Images of battle appeared before them and a lone figure stood amongst the fighting, raised his arms. And light exploded from his body. All other images faded and the Man stood alone, regal and powerful.

"The Rise of Taboro and the Ngadi Dynasty." Taylor recognized the first emperor of Chainka from the many descriptions and pictures Neah had showed him. He stood tall and proud, in shining armor and exotic robes, the Dragoni crown atop his head and the Dragoni necklace hanging from his neck.

"The Age of the Living Gods," Reese confirmed, and the images of the others appeared beside Taboro. Nadega, his Empress and the Goddess of the Elements; Gods and Goddesses, all originally Chainkan, all elevated by Luasha, the daughter of Ari'ena. "Soon after follows the Ascension of the Old Ones," The Gods glowed and disappeared in flashes of light; "The Return of Iokita," The dark Figure reappeared and images flashed around them of more battles and darkness; "The Union of Hanibei and Nishaqua and the Second Fall of Evil," A man and woman stood together amidst the chaos and the power flowed out of them, calming the surrounding.

"The Ascension of the Three," Three Woman appeared before them, the daughters of Taboro: Wogaluha, the Priestess of the Royal Family, the eldest; Keaniaha, the Dragon Lady, She who was the go-between for the Dragoni gods and the Chainkan people, living alone on the Temple Mountain.

"Hosha," Taylor said in recognition of the third and youngest daughter, the familiar one, The Enchantress of many ancient legends and stories. She who was keeper of the Temple of the Mother. She who traveled far and wide as the Messenger of the Gods, their Hand in influencing the Fates. She who would appear to Taylor and Neah to offer cryptic guidance in their actions in order to obtain desired outcomes. She whom Taylor had long begun to dread seeing because it always meant something gigantic was coming and the pain of his existence would once again rear its head.

But the Images continued forward unceasing and unaware of whatever thoughts Taylor had in his mind. The images were once again speeding through the stars until coming upon one tiny dot. "And then, the moment for which we long had anticipated occurred." The star exploded.

"A Nova," Taylor observed, watching as the dust cloud expanded outward. He lifted his hand to touch the image but it passed through without effect.

"Technically a supernova," Reese said with a smirk.

Taylor gave him a good natured glare. "Fine, be a science geek."

Reese smiled ad continued. "Soon, a New star formed, with a new system of planets, Where the seeds of life were soon planted." The gas separated out into the small shapes before them. A bright light in the middle with numerous smaller ones orbiting around it. "We saw all of this from afar and knew that our task had begun, that for which we waited was drawing nearer and nearer."

One of the planets became larger and clearer. It was colored with browns and blues and greens and wisps of white. Taylor's brow furrowed. "Earth."

"Nothing could be left to chance. Everything had to happen as the Hall of Time ordained it." Reese lifted his arms as the Earth began to rapidly spin. Little bits of colored light shot off of the surface. "The Ordering began."

"The ordering?" Taylor looked up at the lights with his brow still furrowed. This was all going somewhere and he wasn't sure he liked the implications. "You mean that everything that has happened on Earth has been directed by you?"

"Not only on Earth," Avatar Reese said emphatically, "Everywhere, we are in all things. We are the ones who determine how the worlds must go."

Taylor stared up at the colored balls of light that were mingling with each other in the air, circling and spinning in a vaguely chain like form. "What are all the colors?"

"They represent the, uh, Bloodlines, if we can be allowed usage of the word," Reese said with a gesture up at the lights, "Technically life on Earth doesn't really have blood yet."

"Bloodlines." There was a coldness in his voice as he said this. He had seen the evidence of this before and he had never liked the notion of it. Taylor didn't really want to hear it again.

The Avatar continued, without paying any heed to Taylor's quiet brooding, gesturing as new images appeared before them around the planet and the lights. "Through the Age of Invertebrates; Amphibians and Insects; through the Age of the Reptiles we continued, ordering the bloodlines that were necessary, weaving the tapestry of the life we needed."

Taylor frowned. "I think I see where this is going." An explosion on the planet created clouds across the globe and the surrounding images of dinosaurs faded to darkness. "The Extinction of the Dinosaurs. You did that?"

The Avatar nodded. "To make way for the Rise of Mammals, and the Dawn of Men." He turned to look at the images of evolving Hominids.

"Whoa, sudden acceleration in speed." Taylor held up his hands to steady himself as the speed of the images picked up before them as evolution sped up and little colored lights shot up off of the planet to attach themselves to the others.

Reese moved forward along the line that continued to glow at their feet. "We ordered and weaved, chose and created, mixing the bloodlines in the proper order, combining them and purifying them through the ages. Taking those who were necessary, those who were best, and weaving the web of life, all the while watching the clock tick down through that ages." Taylor looked up at the Countdown and saw that the digital numbers were counting down in a blur of red light.

He looked at the lights before him and felt the cold realization continuing to engulf his body. "The Web of Life," he repeated quietly.

"As Humanity evolved, it became clear that a more hands on influence would be needed," Reese continued. "So, on the Homeworld, the Temple Island was elevated and the Lagoon of Time began its influence, allowing the island to appear on far distant planets."

The Temple of the Mother appeared again before them, this time surrounded by a lagoon of multicolored water that produced a strange warped effect about the temple, and the surrounding city of the Quagans, and the Labyrinth Mountains, the Spider Jungle, and the Reef of Peril. "Lua'kiini Mo'kuu."

"As the Ancient cultures began to form in Europe and Africa, Asia, the Keepers of the Island ventured forth into the world, imparting their wisdom upon the locals, coming to be seen as Gods."

"What is that?" Taylor looked before them where a large ocean had appeared and a glow had begun beneath the surface.

"The First Terran Portal," Reese said as the the Stargate field appeared in the water and the volcano erupted from it. Islands emerged from the mist around the growing mountain before them. "Where the Ancient Ones came and seeded the Ocean race with their blood."

The Islands shapes became familiar in his mind. "That's Hawaii," Taylor stated, nearing numbness. "The Kilauea portal was the first?"

But the Avatar again seemingly ignored him. "Greece, China, Egypt, the Eastern and Western empires rose and prospered under the tutelage of the Temple Island." Many different people of Ancient appearance now surrounded them, but soon became lost in the darkened shadow that descended around them. "Then SHE came."

Another Jaris appeared. Not Iokita or Katoi, but the other, the female. "Atakaia."

"After the demoness was expelled, the Island was removed and hidden for ages, sparking Ancient Legends."

As the island faded, a spark of insight hit Taylor. "Atlantis," He nodded in understanding, then watched as the familiar shape of another island group came into focus. "It moved to England?"

"It became a roaming island," Reese explained. "It would waver in and out of many different locations all over the planet, all over the universe, deliberately trying to avoid contact with Her. New people became influenced, new legends were formed."

"Avalon," Taylor said as he gazed at the misty isle. The image of a Man became clear and another realization came upon him. "Ho'kuu'ao was Merlin."

"Yes, among others," the Avatar confirmed, then turned back to the planet before them. "And through all this, we continued."

"I noticed that, yes," Taylor said staring up at the swirling colored lights that had form a definite chain shape that was becoming all to recognizable to Taylor.

"Empires rose and fell and were replaced in cyclical fashion. The Dark Ages came; The Rise of Kingdoms and Crusades; Colonization began, an action which began the major events of your time."

The familiar continental shape appeared before them. "America." Taylor noticed the odd storm shape moving along the Atlantic. "What is that, a hurricane?"

"As the European nations moved into the Americas, new legends came to their ears. Including the Fountain of Youth and the Wandering Isle. Ancient Indian peoples with riches and magics that guarded an Ancient Power. These stories came back to Europe where they were heard by the one called Circe."

Taylor stared in dark recognition of the hurricane before him. "The Storm of Atakaia."

Reese stared hard at the Caribbean islands. "With her descent onto the Caribbean our plans were almost laid waste. For she followed the rumor started from stories of the Pirate Captain Bartholomew. The Legend of the Three Maps. The Island Prince Ho'kuu'ao was sent out as a result to retrieve the maps, but became caught in the Slave trade for many years before he could find all of them. But not before Atakaia was able to find her way back to Lua'kiini Mo'kuu, endangering the bloodline in the process. Atakaia sought the Power of the Ages, but the power was not meant for her. It was meant for the one who came later." The glance Reese gave him did not go unnoticed to Taylor. "So Atakaia became the first of the three Jaris demons to be imprisoned."

Images of those individuals in that legendary tale became apparent before them. Taylor stared ahead at one man in particular. Dark brown hair and Deep brown eyes. Tanned skin from sailing and callused hands from working. "Wait a minute, that's William Turner, he's my..."

"Your Ancestor, yes, many generations back." The Avatar tilted his head to look at Taylor. "Through him and his progeny much of the bloodline flowed, containing ancient mixtures that could not be lost and yet almost were. But in the end, Ho'kuu'ao and Moe'Uhaani prevailed with the aide of a great Pirate and the one woman who could claim his love."

Figures of historical familiarity appeared before him. Captain Jack Sparrow of the infamous pirate vessel, the Black Pearl, and the woman, "Hosha?" Taylor was stunned.

"And we continued," The Avatar said. "Further and forward through the years as changes swept across the New World. The Revolutionary and Civil Wars came and went, leading to the next age. The bloodline was almost complete, only a few more generations and the One would Be."

The colored lights had now become a fully recognizable, almost complete form. The colors were fast becoming uniform and homogeneous but Taylor wasn't paying attention to them anymore. "You sent her." Taylor turned to face Reese head on. "You're the one who sent Hosha."

"She was already here," Reese replied. "You see, out of her house in Singapore came the one who would marry Asa Parker and be mother to Joshua Parker, the one whom you met in the past."

"This is all about me. This is my bloodline," Taylor was beginning to feel weird, he couldn't quite place his reaction to this.

"Time continued forward still and the ordering entered its final stages," the Avatar pushed on turning to look back at the light. "And then, the bloodline was complete."

Taylor looked up at the Glowing form of a DNA strand that now slowly rotated above the image of Earth. "You created me," Taylor said in a state of disbelief. "I'm the one you've been waiting for, the one who can access the Power of the Ages." He knew that they had been manipulating the events of history but he had no idea for how long.

"No," Reese shook his head and looked at him. "You are the Power of the Ages."

"But what am I?" Taylor persisted. "What is my power? What does, where does it come from?"

"You rush into things," Avatar Reese shook his head. "We're trying to show you what you need to know for what's coming next."

"Yeah, well, you're being vague and unclear and it isn't helping anything," Taylor spat out bitterly. "How about for once in your existence you try being direct instead of wrapped up in riddles, then maybe I wouldn't do some of the things I do."

"You blame us for your choices?" Reese turned to face Taylor full on.

"I blame you for not being clear on which ones I should make."

"Free will is still a concept that is in existence and if we had tried to provide you with guidance you would have resisted us."

"You keep saying us," Taylor fixated. "We, us, what's with the familiar inclusive plural?"

"Watch and learn," Reese said calmly, turning towards the images that were now coming clear in front of them. "See your life? See you experiences? All that has happened has been preordained. Yes, it's true, I'm sorry if that upsets you," he said off the look Taylor gave him. "It has been written in time since before anything else existed so it would have mattered not what our influence would have been. Some things, no matter what, cannot be stopped." Reese moved closer to Taylor. "You were meant to receive the Power. Hosha was meant to return to help you and Neah was to come to guide you, but any choices you made involving those therein were made on your own, and yet still according to the predetermined flow of the universe. The Power knows what it needs and does what it has to to make it happen. We needed you to reach a certain level before we could reveal ourself in our true form unto you and the universe."

"What does that mean?" Taylor cried. "That all that happened in these past six years happened because you thought I needed it? You thought I needed to be torn back in time and almost destroy my own existence? You thought I needed to be manipulated by the First into traveling into the future and causing havoc and damage and international chaos? You thought the First had to manipulate me into being oblivious to my best friend until it was too late and he was terminal and then I had to find out I could have saved him? This is all fun for you?"

"Taylor..."

"You thought I had to fall into a dark vengeance streak and scare my family and friends and the whole world before snapping back to reality? You thought my alternate and his minions from a twisted alternate universe had to come here and make my life a living hell? That they had to cast a spell on me that would cause me to live in two universes at once and fade out of this one as Tahiir fell in love with Leto? Then I had to be trapped inside his head while the First and Spike played with my world and Neah and Jilan tried to figure out a way to kill someone who deserved to live more than I did. That was part of your grand scheme? M&M's life torture? Justuce's? The Buchman family's insane inexplicable vendetta against me? Mush coming forward in time? Jilan appearing from nowhere? What the hell is all this? How is this necessary?"

"We can explain--"

"Well let me finish and then you can do the whole annoying cryptic answer." Taylor began pacing around while he ranted. "What about September 11th? Was that necessary? And Katoi, wonderful Katoi. He who plants doubts and suspicions into the heads of my friends and loved ones. Katoi, who triggered some crazy chemical reaction in my body that caused me to evolve into something other than human in time to undergo the Chainkan Heat, almost rape my best friend, oh and yeah, go insane with the weight of the world entering into my brain! He who inspired Alec and his siblings to take initiative and ensure the First a body of flesh by using their own mother as a vessel to carry his natal form. Katoi, who flung us into the X-Men universe in hopes that Lenni would sacrifice herself and Marissa would go insane. Katoi, who possessed Neah's alternate and used her to conquer the alternate universe and then come here to seduce the Buchmans. Katoi, who ordered the death of Mason. Katoi, loyal servant of the First, who unfortunately wasn't as clever as it thought because Alterna-Reese broke free and then the First decided he must die so he possessed Spike and used him to kill the only person that he has ever loved and tricked me into believing it was my best friend so that I would again fall into darkness and not be able to stand up to any of the claims and accusations my loved ones made and Katoi could reign in control of the universe. Did that have to happen? All this pain and death? Did Thunder have to die? Did Mason? Reese's alternate and Tahiir? Did Buffy and Faith and all the slayers have to? Did I? What is the point?" Taylor was bordering on pain and fury and his voice held an edge within it that was barely kept back.

"You need to know," the Avatar said calmly. "You have learned and grown through each of these experiences. You have become that much closer to what it is you are meant to be."

"So, what doesn't kill me makes me stronger, is that it?" Taylor spat out bitterly.

"You went back in time to learn that what already has been cannot be changed, that even you, the Power Incarnate, even you have rules and limitations you are subject to," Reese stood tall and firm as he walked closer to Taylor with the full force of his power echoing out through his voice. "You cannot change the past. You cannot impose your will on others. Every action has consequences. These are things that must be learned on their own other wise they have no impact." Reese's tone and demeanor softened, "Just because you have power does not mean you aren't still capable of fallacy and human mistake and misjudgment. You hold yourself to an impossible standard because you feel others expect it of you. That they feel you are supposed to be this Infallible God being and when you aren't you think they feel let down."

"I don't care what they think," Taylor lied, trying to sound indifferent.

"No, only what He does." Taylor visibly flinched and turned to look at the form of his best friend. "But he doesn't think these things. He sees you as you are, as Taylor and that confuses you," The Avatar continued, moving to stand barely a foot in front of Taylor. "You believe yourself to unworthy of him and his love and therefore you strive and push yourself to do all these things to alleviate your own guilt and to make yourself worthy, but don't you see? You already are! By doing all these things you are worthy!" Reese held Taylor's face in his hands and forced him to look at the kind smile on his face.

Taylor shook lose and turned away, shaken. "Will you explain now?" He asked, wanting the subject to change. "What am I? What is my power? What is this Us you keep mentioning?"

Reese sighed. "You are the Chosen, the one for whom we have long been waiting. You are the Son of the Universal Power. You are the Power. You have seen what you are, what we are. We are one. The same. We are the Power."

Taylor still didn't understand. "What are we then? What is out Power?"

"You already know the answer to that," Reese told him plainly, looking at him. "You just refuse to see it. Soon the time will come when it will be made unfathomably clear and you will no longer be able to hide from it or deny it. In order to Become you must first submit."

Taylor didn't like the sound of that. "Submit?" he asked, suspicious. "Submit to what?"

"See here, we have reached the Barrier." Taylor turned to look at the Path of Ages. Clear enough the had come across to an energy barrier. "That which is the present." Taylor looked up at the Countdown and saw that it had returned to Real Time speed. "Beyond this barrier lies the future. The far distant future is unclear but vague shapes and forms can be made out. That which is closer to the present is clearer and larger," Reese explained, indicating the many things beyond the barrier. "And as the future comes closer to being present..."

"My dreams," Taylor connected. "This is where they come from." He stared at a large Darkness that blocked the rest of the shapes behind it from view. "What is that?"

"What is next," Avatar Reese said. "All that is to come. Don't you see it? The Countdown? It's closer now than it has ever been." '_Well_ _duh_,' Taylor thought, '_that_ _is_ _what_ _counting_ _down_ _tends_ _to_ _mean_', but he still looked up at the Red Digital clock and saw that it had now dropped below 11 months. "The Big Band grand finale is approaching. It is coming hard and fast and you have to be ready to do what you must," Reese imparted to him, almost pleading him into understanding. "There will be choices that you have to make. Decisions with consequences. But it will be easier. Soon you will know all that it is you need to know about who and what you are and with that knowledge the choices will flow out of you."

Taylor absorbed all this in a slight state of daze. He looked back into the foggy figures of the Soon-to-Come and caught a glimpse of a strangely familiar shape. "Frodo?"

"Time is ticking," Reese was looking back up at the Countdown. "Your time is near. You will Become, and the worlds will know and be glad for it. But do not think that it will be the end of all opposition. For the light shines brightest when the darkness is at its most black." Reese gave Taylor a rueful smile and turned around to walk back down the path.

Taylor turned to follow and saw that they had already reached the door without moving. "Remember," Reese told him, taking his hands. "You must submit to it, only then will you become. At that moment you will see clearly and you must submit." He smiled and leaned in to Taylor, his eyes drifting closed...

Taylor started awake in his bed. He blinked in the darkness of his room, glancing at his clock to see that it was only 3:47 in the morning. He lay quietly on his back in bed, thinking about all that he had just been through in his mind. Certain words remained and echoed in his brain and they chilled him a bit as he turned on his side to attempt to fall back asleep.

"_Soon the time will come when it will be made unfathomably clear and you will no longer be able to hide from it or deny it. In order to Become you must first submit."_

"_Do not think that it will be the end of all opposition. For the light shines brightest when the darkness is at its most black."_

"_Don't you see it? The Countdown? It's closer now than it has ever been. The Big Bang grand finale is approaching. It is coming hard and fast and you have to be ready to do what you must. There will be choices that you have to make. Decisions with consequences. But it will be easier. Soon you will know all that it is you need to know about who and what you are and with that knowledge the choices will flow out of you."_

"_You are worthy!" _

Taylor faded back into the darkness of sleep with a small grin.

End of the Prologue. Questions and comments can be directed to me. If you wish for something to be clarified or if you have a suggestion to make on the structure or whatever, simply review the story or email me at the addy available in my profile. Again, I am aware that this chapter does contain a bit of inside information that hasn't quite been explained and all that, but that is mostly because the whole canon of this universe is still in a state of flux and is slowly being nailed down. I will create a glossary section at the end of each part, you just have to let me know what you want explained. So review! It makes me tingle! In a good way. I'll shut up now.

--Taylor the Incognito


	4. Chapter One: the Enchantress

Disclaimer: Virtually non-existent in relation to this portion of the psychospasm. Only brief references are alluded to within to the Hobbits and such. Note: I use the movieverse for this. As I have stated previously, questions and comments and whatever else are welcomed.

Previously in our story:

"_**What is the Nexus?" **Taylor_

"**_The center, outside of space, thought and time. The place where all things, all universes begin and branch out, including your own."_** _Avatar_

"**_All universes began in this moment, infinite in number and never-ending, ever expanding and multiplying. We exist in all of these, in many forms."_** _Avatar_

"**_This is the Path of Ages, that which we have been following since the beginning of time. You see, since before the beginning, we knew that at First Light the path would be shown onto us, leading us towards that for which we waited. The Light came and through the many universes the One Path was revealed, in the universe that is yours. With that found, we were finally able to move forward."_** _Avatar_

"_**The Countdown." **Taylor_

"_**A new star with a new system of planets, where the seeds of life were soon planted. We saw this from afar and knew that our task had begun, that for which we waited was drawing nearer and nearer." **Avatar_

"**_Earth."_** _Taylor_

"**_Nothing could be left to chance. Everything has to happen as the Hall of Time ordained it. The ordering began."_** _Avatar_

"_**You mean everything that has happened on Earth has been directed by you." **Taylor_

"**_Not only on Earth, everywhere, we are in all things. We are the one who determines how the world must go."_** _Avatar_

"_**You sent her. You're the one who sent Hosha." **Taylor_

"_**You created me. I'm the one you've been waiting for, the one who can access the Power of the Ages." **Taylor_

"_**No, You are the Power of the Ages." **Avatar_

"_**See your life? See your experiences? All that has happened has been preordained. Yes, it's true. I'm sorry if that upsets you. It has been written in time since before anything else existed so it would have mattered not what our influence would have been. Some things, no matter what, cannot be stopped. You were meant to receive the power. Hosha was meant to return to help you and Neah was to come to guide you, but any choices you made involving those therein were made on your own, and yet still according to the predetermined flow of the universe. The Power knows what it needs and does what it has to to make it happen. We needed you to reach a certain level before we could reveal ourself in our true form unto you and the universe." **Avatar_

"**_What does that mean? That all that happened in these past 6 years happened because you thought i needed it? What is the point?"_** _Taylor_

"**_You need to know. You have learned and grown through each of these experiences. You have become that much closer to what it is you are meant to be. You went back in time to learn that what already was cannot be changed, that even you, the Power Incarnate, even you have rules and limitations you are subject to. You cannot change the past. You cannot impose your will on others. Every action has consequences. These are things that must be learned on their own other wise they have no impact. You are also imperfect. Just because you have power does not mean you aren't still capable of fallacy and human mistake and misjudgment."_** _Avatar_

"**_I don't care what they think."_** _Taylor_

"**_No, only what he does. But he doesn't think these things. He sees you as you are, as Taylor and that confuses you. You believe yourself unworthy of him and his love and therefore you strive and push yourself to do all these things to alleviate your own guilt and to make yourself worthy, but don't you see? You already are! By doing these things you are worthy!"_** _Avatar_

"_**What am I? What is my power? What is this Us you keep mentioning?" **Taylor_

"_**You are the Chosen, the one for whom we have long been waiting. You are the Son of the Universal Power. You are the Power. You have seen what you are, what we are. We are one. The same. We are the Power." **Avatar_

"**_Soon the time will come when it will be made unfathomably clear and you will no longer be able to hide from it or deny it. In order to Become you must first submit."_** _Avatar_

"**_My dreams. This is where they come from. What is that?"_** _Taylor_

"**_What is next. All that is to come. Don't you see it? The Countdown? It's closer now than it has ever been. The Big Bang grand finale is approaching. It is coming hard and fast and you have to be ready to do what you must. There will be choices that you have to make. Decisions with consequences. But it will be easier. Soon you will know all that it is you need to know about who and what you are and with that knowledge the choices will flow out of you."_** _Avatar_

"**_Frodo?"_** _Taylor_

"**_Time is ticking. Your time is near. You will Become, and the worlds will know and be glad for it. But do not think that it will be the end of all opposition. For the light shines brightest when the darkness is at its most black. Remember: you must Submit to it, only then will you become. At that moment you will see clearly and you must submit."_** _Avatar_

_"The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil,_

_but because of the people who don't do anything about it."_

_- Albert Einstein_

Chapter One: The Enchantress

"Oh, ow, pain, in joints. Ow. Yeah, I'm gonna be feeling this tomorrow," Ashlee whined as she rubbed her aching back.

"No you won't. You're a Slayer. You heal fast," Taylor remarked in a teasing tone as he poked her side. He pulled Neah closer to his side as the three walked home after finishing up their nightly patrol of the Bubble.

"Yeah, yeah, lucky me," Ashlee continued, wincing and glaring at Taylor. "It's not fair! I mean, look at the two of you! Not even a scratch or a bump, or a frelling wrinkle, or anything that even remotely portrays any evidence of violence, while I, on the other hand, have the makings of a super mondo King Kong welt on my ass!" she said with a semi-fake pout, then her expression turned thoughtful. "Possibly in the shape of a fire hydrant screw."

"There's an image I never expected to have. And now it won't leave. Out, out!" Taylor said, slowing down a little and jokingly hitting himself on the head.

"Hey, you just be happy you got to deal with the worth it bad guys. I got Mr. Ninny Sissy Vamp who actually used hair pulling as a means of serious attack!" Neah said as she rubbed the back of her head and leaned into Taylor.

"Oh no!" Ashlee stopped and threw her hands up in mock horror. "Not the hair!"

"Oh, poor widdle Neah. Got her hair pulled by the mean old vampire. Who, I'm assuming, was immediately pummeled into the shape of a walnut for even daring to lay a finger on your hair since we all know what goes into your hair and how much of a death mark to touch it would be..." Taylor trailed off, turning a teasing smile to the girl beside him.

Neah whacked him in the chest. "Funny, funny, WannaGay. But yeah, I'd say the whole 'being a vampire' was more of an 'already dead' mark so I don't really care what shape he ended up. It looked more peanuty to me." The three kids laughed together at the insanity of their conversation and continued walking down the quiet lamp lit streets of New York.

"Hmm," Taylor sighed happily, squeezing Neah's hand. "It's really actually kind of a nice night."

"Yeah," Neah agreed, gazing contently around them. "Warm, calm, starry. Nice."

"Yeah, I don't trust it," Ashlee remarked flatly.

"Hello random," Taylor cracked, turning to look at his friend beside him. "Explain yourself, Slayer."

"It's just too calm, too quiet," Ashlee explained. "It has been for a while now. Every thing's just so, well, perfect."

"Well, then that settles it," Neah added mock seriously. "Something evil must be afoot."

Ashlee laughed at herself, then continued. "It just feels like the calm before the storm. Like this is just a lull to get us in a relaxed comfy place before the badness springs out in full throttle war mode."

"Well, that's positive thinking there," Taylor stated dryly.

"Oh, come on, Taylor," Ashlee groaned, stretching her arms up over her head and swiveling her hips to stretch her back out. "You know something has to be coming. Something is always coming. Countdown to the big bang or whatever," She commented casually, not noticing Taylor's reaction to what she said.

It flashed back into his head. _Seeing and hearing the giant red Digital Countdown ticking away. 334/23/56/23...22...21 and so forth. The Avatar standing next to him, speaking. "Don't you see it? The Countdown? It's closer now then it has ever been. The Big Bang grand finale is approaching. It is coming hard and fast and you have to be ready to do what you must." _

"What did you say?" Taylor gaped at his friend.

"You heard me just fine, Hero," Ashlee said, picking dirt off her leg and not looking over at him. "I'm right here next to you."

"Am I asleep and no one's telling me?" Taylor turned to look at Neah, who gave a skeptical look in response.

"No, you're very much awake," She reassured, then became concerned. "Unless, we've all been asleep this whole time and we're somehow sharing a dream." She considered this, then smacked Taylor in the ass as hard as she could.

"Ow! Frelling hell, woman!" He jumped out of her reach as Ashlee looked at the two of them incredulously. Neah looked wickedly satisfied

"We're awake," she said smugly and continued to walk. Taylor rolled his eyes and followed behind Ashlee.

"Right," Taylor shook the whole thing off, rubbing his poor abused ass. He prayed that it had all been a coincidence but knew full well that those never happen to him. "Well, just because it's calm doesn't have to mean that there's something coming. Maybe it's just calm for once," He said not entirely believing it himself.

"Maybe. I don't know," Ashlee sighed and rubbed her arms. "I think I've been here too long or something. I mean, having that whole deal with Alec and the Alternates and Katoi and yeah, that was just a whole lot more what I seem to be used to now, even though that was a bit much. Having it be nice and stuff is just so, new. I don't know how to handle it yet," she furrowed her brows, "or again or something."

"Don't we know it," Neah agreed with a frown of her own. The events of the past year still were fresh in all their minds. "I didn't like me." Neither of the other two commented because they got what she meant being used to Taylor babbling like that.

"Yeah, it was all very, yeah," Taylor trailed off. "I still feel bad for Spike."

"Yeah, that was all very bad," Ashlee acknowledged, "but besides the current point," she said, steering them back. "I guess I should just be thankful that it's been so easy lately. I need to stop being so paranoid. I mean after all that just happened, what else could possibly happen now?" Her hand immediately flew up to cover her mouth but it was too late, she said it.

Neah groaned and threw her head back, stopping in the middle of the sidewalk. "Oh Great, now it will."

"Sorry!" Ashlee apologized from behind her hands.

"Well, you wanted bad," Taylor noted factually.

"I take it back," Ashlee whimpered, then sighed, defeated. "Oh well, too good to last anyway."

"Hey, at least you'll know how to handle things," Neah pointed out.

"That's true," Ashlee realized. "Things are coming up rosy then." She quipped with a smile.

"Good lord, we need a vacation," Taylor rolled his eyes. Then stopped in his tracks. "Do you hear that?" He asked, stopping and listening, with a distant look.

"Hear what?" Ashlee asked. Taylor's senses were more attuned than hers were so this wasn't an uncommon occurrence. For all she knew he was hearing things in China again.

"That music," Taylor turned back and looked over the park, just in time to see the firework shoot up into the night sky and burst. He watched perplexed as the green sparks fell in the shape of a tree. Something about it was vaguely familiar. He turned back to ask Neah what she thought and noticed she wasn't there anymore. Or rather, he wasn't there.

He stood in the darkness amidst a small grouping of trees. The music he heard was much louder now and he could hear shouting and singing accompanying it. He walked towards the noise and the light, until, through the trees, he saw the large celebration. There were large tents set up with tables and chairs all around. There was a row of kegs off to one side and the smell of food wafted out to him on a breeze. He stood in the darkness and watched the little people dance a bit before it dawned on him. Little People. Hobbits?

"You brought me into a movie?" Taylor asked as he turned around to face the person he knew would be there.

"Not exactly," came the silken reply. Behind him, looking as exotic and ethereal as ever, was Hosha. Her long dark hair was pulled back into a thick ponytail filled with little braids scattered here and there, streaked with colors or strung with beads of pink or gold. Down the left side of her Asiatic face ran the ancient body art of the Chainkan people, painted in shimmering gold, leading down her neck to her chest and further past her hip.

She was dressed in sheer, light drapings of red and pink. A spectrum of red made for the top that she was wearing that was clasped on her shoulder by a small golden clip. It parted in the middle and stretched to just provide the slightest view of skin. It tied in the back and a styled loose strip hung down her front, off center. Clasped on her arms, held up by means unknown, were small red and pink sleeves that had an extended piece at the seam. Around her forearms and wrists she had bands of gold, the one around the right wrist longer than the other, balancing the design of the sleeves. From her hips hung chains of gold, supporting the pink and red drapings that hung from her front and back and wrapped around the sides for added cover, only allowing the slightest bit of her upper thigh to show. She went barefoot as always and the green gemstone, the Ngadi family mark, glistened in the moonlight from its position near her right eye. She smiled at Taylor; it was plain to understand why she was called the Enchantress.

But something about her drew Taylor's attention. On her hip was a fiery red mark, the intricate written language of her people. Taylor knew the language but for some reason couldn't decipher its meaning. And it stung deep inside of him like it was screaming 'I am important! I mean all the world!'

Taylor shook out of it. "Funny, 'cause it really looks a lot like it," Taylor stated dryly, folding his arms across his chest.

"It is a little more than that," she said cryptically as she stood in front of him.

"Explain," he asked as he watched her, waiting intently.

"This, is not a movie. This is a parallel world," Hosha explained as glided over to stand next to Taylor. She gazed serenely out over the chittering crowd of Hobbits.

"Like the Buffyverse?" Taylor asked, comprehending what she meant (which upon later reflection, caused him shudders).

"Similar, only in a literary sense," she confirmed as she walked forward a bit more.

"Oh, so you mean, since they're a book in our world, we exist as a book here? Duniverse deal?" Taylor asked as he followed the goddess through the trees.

"Not yet. Give it a few hundred years," she quipped, looking back at him with a smile.

"Ah, I'm in the parallel past. Care to tell me why I'm here?" he asked as they watched another firework shoot up, then fly down and out over the tree tops and the nearby lake.

"You are The Chosen," Hosha simply stated, giving him a look that said 'duh'.

"Chosen to save my world, yes. This world, not so much. Or am I wrong?" He once again got the feeling that the world was far bigger and more complex and he was just learning now. He hated that feeling.

"This world was created by yours, like the Buffyverse and the Duniverse. You owe it the same loyalty and protection as your own."

"Okay, okay. Naughty Chosen. So what's the deal? What's the big sitch?" He asked walking up next to the goddess and staring out over the party. The realization of what he was looking at sunk in deeper and a deep sense of foreboding crept its way up his spine. "This is Bilbo's party. The 'Quest of the Ring' will be starting soon."

"That is correct," Hosha said, walking behind him.

Taylor turned to face her. "Still not getting why I'm here."

"That is not entirely true, now is it?" She gave him the look.

"Say it out loud for me."

"You are going along."

"Why?"

"Something is changing. The world is different. You are needed here," Hosha said emphatically, moving closer to Taylor.

"Again with the why, why am I needed?" Taylor asked, looking up at her with confusion and worry etched into his features.

"The evil here is stronger than it is supposed to be. Something else is at work here that does not belong in this world."

"Doesn't belong, huh? An alternate universe meddling in this one. Gee, is it anyone I know?" Taylor looked back at the party, the smile on his face a sarcastic match to the bitterness in his voice.

"If you refer to the recent events involving the mirror realm, it is difficult to say whether or not that may be involved. All that is known is that something is feeding the darkness of this world, making it stronger, more deliberate. It is growing, out of order. Things are chaotic, but the cause, things are, unclear," Hosha said, looking away at the sky beyond them.

Taylor looked up at her as the depth of the situation hit him. "You don't know." He stood there in quiet shock as the wonder sank in. the gods themselves didn't know the goings on. "This is bad," he said with a nervous laugh. Then, as if on cue, courage and determination and power flooded his veins as he looked back up at the waiting goddess. "What must I do?"

Hosha gave him a rueful smile. She knew that look. "Save the world."

"Right," Taylor said and smiled. The two stood together in silence as a large firework shot off from a nearby tent. They both watched it as it sailed up into the air, taking the shape of a large red, fiery dragon. As it turned and charged down, Taylor felt Hosha lean in and kiss him on the forehead. "_Good Luck,"_ he heard in his mind. Then all was chaos and panic as the dragon soared low. Taylor ducked down as it passed over him and he waited for the explosion to come.

"Taylor, are you okay?" He looked up to see Ashlee and Neah standing over him. He saw the sidewalk and the cars and the streetlights around him. He was home again. He sighed and leaned back to sit on the sidewalk. "Taylor?" Neah asked, kneeling down next to him.

Taylor looked up and gazed sadly into her eyes.

"It's bad."

End of Chapter One. Again, Questions and Comments and Critiques will be welcomed and considered to the best of my ability.

-Taylor the Imperious


	5. Chapter Two: Behold the Power of Belief

Disclaimer: okay, now that I think about it, everything used in this chapter is made in a referential context and therefore attributed accordingly within and therefore this pis pointless. R&R please.

Previously in our story:

"_**What is the Nexus?" **Taylor_

"**_The center, outside of space, thought and time. The place where all things, all universes begin and branch out, including your own."_** _Avatar_

"_**All universes began in this moment, infinite in number and never-ending, ever expanding and multiplying. We exist in all of these, in many forms."** Avatar_

"_**You created me. I'm the one you've been waiting for, the one who can access the Power of the Ages." **Taylor_

"_**No, You are the Power of the Ages." **Avatar_

"_**What am I? What is my power? What is this Us you keep mentioning?" **Taylor_

"_**You are the Chosen, the one for whom we have long been waiting. You are the Son of the Universal Power. You are the Power. You have seen what you are, what we are. We are one. The same. We are the Power." **Avatar_

"_**Soon the time will come when it will be made unfathomably clear and you will no longer be able to hide from it or deny it. In order to Become you must first submit."** Avatar_

"**_My dreams. This is where they come from. What is that?"_** _Taylor_

"**_What is next. All that is to come. Don't you see it? The Countdown? It's closer now than it has ever been. The Big Bang grand finale is approaching. It is coming hard and fast and you have to be ready to do what you must. There will be choices that you have to make. Decisions with consequences. But it will be easier. Soon you will know all that it is you need to know about who and what you are and with that knowledge the choices will flow out of you."_** _Avatar_

"_**Frodo?"** Taylor_

"_**Do you hear that?"** Taylor_

"_**Hear what?" **Ashlee_

"_**That** **music**." Taylor_

"_**You brought me into a movie?"** Taylor_

"_**This, is not a movie. This is a parallel world."** Hosha_

"_**Care to tell me why I'm here?" **Taylor_

"_**You are going along. The Evil here is stronger than it is supposed to be. Something else is at work here that does not belong in this world." **Hosha_

"_**All that is known is that something is feeding the darkness of this world, making it stronger, more deliberate. It is growing, out of order. Things are chaotic, but the cause, things are, unclear."** Hosha_

"_**What must I do?" **Taylor_

"_**Save the world." **Hosha_

"_**Taylor, are you okay? Taylor?"** Neah_

"_**It's worse."** Taylor_

"_The people who say you are not facing reality actually mean that you are not facing their idea of reality. Reality is above all else a variable. With a firm enough commitment, you can sometimes create a reality which did not exist before."_

_Margaret Halsey_

Chapter Two: Behold the Power of Belief

"Okay, I know that you've told us a couple of times already, but I'm having a hard time, like, absorbing and digesting all the info, so could you recap? Again?" Ashlee asked as she, Neah, and their friend Justuce followed Taylor up the stairs of their apartment building.

"Fine. A big other worldly badness is threatening the existence of Middle Earth and since our world created Middle Earth, I am duty bound to protect it. So I'm going there to stop the badness. Got it?" Taylor explained as he led the group up to the fourth floor.

"Yeah, for now. Wait a while though, I'll probably ask again." They were all having a hard time completely grasping what was going on since it was all happening so fast. One minute they had been walking. Then Taylor had heard something and froze for a few seconds. Then he was huddled on the sidewalk saying it was bad. From there they had booked it home, Taylor attempting to explain what was going on.

"You've gotten better at the summarizing," Neah quipped with a smile as they entered the fourth floor apartment where they lived.

"That happens when you explain the same thing about four times in a row in an increasingly simplified manner. Hey, maybe next time, all I'll do is grunt and gesture!" Taylor said, apparently getting quite annoyed and frustrated with it all.

Neah whacked him over the head. "Play nice," She growled and he looked at her sheepishly.

"Okay, for those of us in our audience without super powers and a prenatural understanding of the weirdness you just said, could you maybe add a little depth to that?" Justuce asked, hoping she wasn't upsetting Taylor any further.

Taylor just gave her a reassuring smile. "Okay, you're new in this line of questioning. Fire away."

"Middle Earth? As in "Lord of the Rings" Middle Earth? With all the Dwarf people and the Elves and the Hobbits and, my god, Elijah Wood is hot!" Justuce stared dazedly to the side for a moment as the others stared at her in disbelief. "Sorry. How is that possible?" Justuce asked after regaining her composure, sitting down on the couch in the living room.

"I don't know, good genetics?" Taylor shrugged as he walked past.

"I mean Middle Earth," Justuce called after him.

"Right, so, um, Alternate Dimension, like the Buffyverse," Taylor said walking into the open kitchen.

"Huh?" Justuce was confused.

"She wasn't in London with us," Neah called over her shoulder to Taylor as she sat in the chair adjacent to the couch.

"We still told her about," Taylor countered defensively, then sighed at the look Neah gave him. "Right, okay. Well, it's like this. It's belief. Belief is this Uber-Powerful thing. And when enough people do it, it can create entire worlds," Taylor explained from the kitchen as he poured himself some water.

"Gee, could you vague that up a little more?" Ashlee asked sweetly as she leaned on the counter island across from Taylor.

"I'm trying, just, shh!" Taylor poked Ashlee on the forehead. He sat down at the counter and thought for a second before starting again. "Okay, Middle Earth and the Buffyverse exist as parallel dimensions that are deeply intertwined with our own. We created them."

"How?" Justuce asked.

"By believing in them. You see, it all started out small, with on person having an idea. That's what started the possibility. As Tolkien and Whedon kept imagining and extending and refining their ideas, they added layers and complexity, breathing life into them. But they were each only one person. One usually isn't enough to create a world," Taylor paused, silent for a moment in reflection.

Justuce glanced at Neah who silently mouthed "Dune" to her. Justuce understood.

Taylor shook out of it, "You follow so far?"

Justuce nodded. "Yeah, I think so. Continue."

"Tolkien wrote his ideas down in books; the books spread the ideas to others."

"And Joss Whedon made a TV show called Buffy the Vampire Slayer," Justuce said as she began to realize more what Taylor was saying.

"Right. More and more people read and saw these worlds and they imagined them. And believed in them. Collective belief is a very powerful force. It can change the course of the future. Stop wars..."

"START wars," Ashlee chimed in countering.

Taylor glared. "Overthrow governments..."

"Create New Worlds," Neah finished quietly and simply, turning to look at Taylor again.

"Yeah, but you see, even though we created them, they don't they were created. In their worlds, they've always existed. We're the ones who were created by them," Taylor added, finishing his drink.

"Um, I think I speak for everyone in this room who is me when I say, huh?" Justuce was confused again.

"In Buffy land, we are a TV show to them. So, in Middle Earth, I guess we're a book. We were created by someone in their worlds, at least to them," Neah explained as Taylor and Ashlee rejoined them in the main area.

"But how do we know they're wrong? Maybe we were the ones created by them," Ashlee suggested.

Taylor rubbed his temples. "Not that again. That's too much thinking for me. Ask Journey, he was the one who talked about the metaphysical and quantum mechanics and all that for three hours with Willow, Giles and Hope & Gloria. And besides, I'm going on the word of a goddess here that we created them."

"A goddess who was also featured prominently on the TV show, if I remember what Dawn told us," Ashlee added.

"You know, that always bugged me. Who gave them the right to go inside my head and put it on TV? That's just, what am I saying? Stop! You're making this more confusing than it needs to be. You're the one who always complained about the Portal Physics! And either way it's all highly irrelevant. They exist and some thing's wrong. I need to go," Taylor said as he walked over to Binky's armory by the front window.

"But wait, what do they look like?" Justuce asked, turning to watch Taylor go through weapons.

"How people imagine they would look," Taylor replied.

"Okay, fine, simple for Buffy since the TV show gives collective imagery for everyone to imagine with, but Middle Earth exists in books. Isn't that a chaotic state?" Justuce asked.

"Okay, me confused now," Ashlee said dumbly, raising her hand in indication.

"Shocker, shocker," Neah teased quietly. Justuce giggled as Ashlee stuck her tongue out.

"She means, with books you have to use your own imagination to make the imagery of the story. And people don't imagine the same, so with all those people imagining the same story in different ways, yes, Middle Earth was in flux for a long time," Taylor selected a broad sword, "But..."

"But the movies came out," Justuce finished, now understanding.

"And provided a common image. And voile! Stableness!" Taylor said with a smile and an enthused gesture. Ashlee ducked to avoid the swinging blade.

"So that's where you're going?" Justuce asked.

"Yes, I believe I can now."

"Alone?"

"That's the plan. Hey, don't give me that look, someone has to stay here and keep things in order. I am the Chosen, it's my duty to go, ergo, go I do," Taylor explained as he resheathed the sword and fastened it to his back by its leather harness.

"What do you want us to do?" Neah asked, standing up as Taylor made his way to the closet.

"Keep an eye on our world. See what effects I have on the story. Work at HUSH," Taylor suggested.

"Okay," Neah kissed him on the cheek.

"What if things get rough?" Ashlee asked, concerned.

"In this story? Things are guaranteed to be rough. If it looks like it's getting extreme, come in and save me. Look, I have to go now. It'll be fine. I'll be okay. Trust me," Taylor insisted, holding onto her arms and looking her in the eye. Ashlee smiled and he moved back towards the closet.

"You be careful, we still need you," Neah said, following him to the door.

"I will," Taylor said, leaning over and giving her a kiss as he pulled the door open.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

"You make it sound like he's not coming back. Don't," Ashlee said, a little freaked out by the whole deal. "Kick ass, Psycho."

"I will, Slayer," Taylor said and smiled at his best friend.

"Good luck!" Justuce called from behind the girls.

"Thanks," Taylor called back and turned to look at the closet. "Oh, someone may want to see about Reese. He gets home tomorrow and I sorta promised to meet him."

"You think you'll be gone for that long? I thought time wasn't an issue for you," Ashlee asked, standing by Neah.

"Did you know that Reese and I saw all three movies on their opening nights?" Taylor asked looking at the two girls. They looked back. "He can help you understand what may be changing. Get him here now." Taylor sighed. "Keep watch. See ya in a few." And then he was gone. The door closed, lightning flashed and thunder clapped. Leaving the girls alone.

Neah stood silently, staring fixedly at the door. Ashlee walked closer and studied her expression. "You're thinking."

"It happens," Neah cracked and turned to walk down the hall. Ashlee and Justuce followed her.

"You feel it too, don't you?" Ashlee asked as she walked behind the Chainkan girl.

"Yeah." Neah stopped at a door at the end of the hall with a key entry pad next to it. She punched in a few numbers then leaned next to the speaker. "Neahila Wonakowa." The door slid open to reveal the Headquarters of HUSH.

"Feel what? What do you feel?" Justuce asked as the three girls walked into the bustling command center.

"The power," Neah said flatly and walked over to a center ringed console where a small Rabbit and Esomo sat bickering together over who was the cuter (you know, matters of utmost importance). "Bunny, I need an eye on the Middle Earth universe and constant surveillance of Taylor."

"Excuse me, missy, but are you the one in command of this organization? No, I do think not. It is I who have the power and wield the control and I will decide what we do and when we will do it. And right now I am currently occupied with the much more important and dire task of convincing this hair-brained bovine that he is nowhere near as delectably cute as the wondrous me!"

"I am not a cow!" Jayar squeaked in his defense. (They were both cute)

"Nak'to!" Neah's voice echoed and thundered through the small room. Darkness fell around them as lightning and thunder flashed. Neah's eyes glowed white as she stared firmly down at the little animals. "Your Prime is out risking himself to save all forms of life at this very moment, again." Her voice was multi-toned and shook the room. "He is risking himself so that we all might continue to exist, even thought there something out there is extremely meddlesome. I think you could show some appreciation of his activities. Activate your transdimensional surveillance system. I know you have it. Watch him so we can get him back. We owe him that much." Bunny shivered and quaked, and looked highly annoyed, but obeyed. She hated when Neah got all power-trippy but knew better than to argue over matters regarding Taylor. Screens all around the room lit up and featured the many settings of Middle Earth, from the fields of the Shire to the black darkness of Mordor.

"What did you mean by 'the power'?" Justuce asked, coming to stand next to Neah, who had now returned to a calmer state.

"It's a central theme in the stories," Ashlee explained, walking up behind the girls and cutting between them. "The Ring is a representation of power, Ultimate power. It's seductive and highly sought after and it corrupts if not careful. There's a center on power everywhere in that world." She walked over to one of the screens and watched intently.

"And?" Justuce asked, moving slowly next to her.

"And Taylor is Power." Neah moved to Ashlee's other side and the three girls watched as, on the small screen, five Uruk-Hai stalked slowly through the forests of the Shire, closing in on an unaware group of four small Hobbits.

"Find Reese and get him the frell here now!"

End of Chapter Two. Any info in this section that seems confusing or inside info like, email the specific section to me and i will delve into it in the glossary chapter. Comments, Questions and Critiques are highly welcomed.

-Taylor the Infallible


	6. Chapter Three: Then the World Went Black

Disclaimer: actually entering into the other-worldly part of the story so for the first time this actually seems to come across as necessary. Don't own the Uruks. Wouldn't want to anyhow, ugly beastly creatures. Probably smell. Don't own the Hobbits either, but how fun would that be? "This is my Hobbit. He can do tricks." I own the others. Except the Young Woman. You'll see.

Previously in our story:

"_**What is the Nexus?" **Taylor_

"**_The center, outside of space, thought and time. The place where all things, all universes begin and branch out, including your own."_** _Avatar_

"_**You created me. I'm the one you've been waiting for, the one who can access the Power of the Ages." **Taylor_

"_**No, You are the Power of the Ages." **Avatar_

"_**What am I? What is my power? What is this Us you keep mentioning?" **Taylor_

"_**You are the Chosen, the one for whom we have long been waiting. You are the Son of the Universal Power. You are the Power. You have seen what you are, what we are. We are one. The same. We are the Power." **Avatar_

"_**Soon the time will come when it will be made unfathomably clear and you will no longer be able to hide from it or deny it. In order to Become you must first submit."** Avatar_

"**_My dreams. This is where they come from. What is that?"_** _Taylor_

"**_What is next. All that is to come. Don't you see it? The Countdown? It's closer now than it has ever been. The Big Bang grand finale is approaching. It is coming hard and fast and you have to be ready to do what you must. There will be choices that you have to make. Decisions with consequences. But it will be easier. Soon you will know all that it is you need to know about who and what you are and with that knowledge the choices will flow out of you."_** _Avatar_

"_**Frodo?"** Taylor_

"_**Do you hear that?"** Taylor_

"_**Hear what?" **Ashlee_

"_**That music**." Taylor_

"_**You brought me into a movie?"** Taylor_

"_**This, is not a movie. This is a parallel world."** Hosha_

"_**Care to tell me why I'm here?" **Taylor_

"_**You are going along. The Evil here is stronger than it is supposed to be. Something else is at work here that does not belong in this world." **Hosha_

"_**All that is known is that something is feeding the darkness of this world, making it stronger, more deliberate. It is growing, out of order. Things are chaotic, but the cause, things are, unclear."** Hosha_

"_**What must I do?" **Taylor_

"_**Save the world." **Hosha_

"_**A big other worldly badness is threatening the existence of Middle Earth and since our world created Middle Earth, I am duty bound to protect it. So I'm going there to stop the badness.**" Taylor_

"_**Middle Earth and the Buffyverse exist as parallel dimensions that are deeply intertwined with our own. We created them.**" Taylor _

"_**How?**" Justuce_

"_**By believing in them. You see, it all started out small, with on person having an idea. That's what started the possibility. As Tolkien and Whedon kept imagining and extending and refining their ideas, they added layers and complexity, breathing life into them. But they were each only one person. One usually isn't enough to create a world. Tolkien wrote his ideas down in books; the books spread the ideas to others.**" Taylor_

"_**And Joss Whedon made a TV show called Buffy the Vampire Slayer.**" Justuce_

"_**More and more people read and saw these worlds and they imagined them. And believed in them. Collective belief is a very powerful force. It can change the course of the future. Stop wars...Overthrow governments...**" Taylor_

"_**Create New Worlds.**" Neah_

"_**But you see, even though we created them, they don't they were created. In their worlds, they've always existed. We're the ones who were created by them.**" Taylor_

"_**In Buffy land, we are a TV show to them. So, in Middle Earth, I guess we're a book. We were created by someone in their worlds, at least to them.**" Neah_

"_**You feel it too, don't you?**" Ashlee_

"_**Yeah**." Neah_

"_**Feel what? What do you feel?**" Justuce_

"_**The Power.**" Neah_

"_**What did you mean by 'the Power'?**" Justuce_

"_**It's a central theme in the stories. The Ring is a representation of power, Ultimate power. It's seductive and highly sought after and it corrupts if not careful. There's a center on power everywhere in that world.**" Ashlee_

"_**And?**" Justuce_

"_**And Taylor is Power.**" Neah_

_The three girls watched as, on the small screen, five Uruk-Hai stalked slowly through the forests of the Shire, closing in on an unaware group of four small Hobbits._

"_**Find Reese and get him the frell here now!**" Ashlee_

"_Trees are pretty_

_And trees are fun_

_But they stand up tall_

_And hog the sun."_

_-Journey Wonakowa, "Life of a Short Person"_

Chapter Three:

Then the World Went Black

"Okay, I'm here. Ow!" Taylor stepped out of the small cave and was greeted by the blinding sun. As he held up his hand to block the sunlight, he noticed his arm looked different. Gone was the inky darkness of his leather jacket. Now he could see the skin of his arm and... the... leather wrist band? Okay, this was new.

He stopped to evaluate his apparent change in apparel. Instead of his leather duster, he now had on a green hooded cape. Instead of his t-shirt, he now wore a green sleeveless tunic over a brown tunic with sleeves that went to his elbows. Leather wristbands encircled his wrists and fingers. Around his waist hung a large sheath containing a broad sword.

Replacing the jeans he had been wearing he now wore brown old school ranger type pants with tall boots and leather sheathes strapped to his thighs containing throwing knives. He had a quiver on his back with a bow beside it, held on by a strap that crossed his chest. He reached back and could feel the handles of his favorite sais.

"I look like Robin Hood," he said, then out of a sudden intuition, reached up for his ears. "As an Elf." His ears were now pointed and his dark raven hair reached just past his ears and was pulled back by a leather lace. "Robin Elf," he quipped to himself, and then felt her behind him. He turned around and found himself eye level with the lower part of a woman's chest. "...Only much shorter, excuse me!" Taylor protested, now annoyed. He backed up a bit to look up at Hosha, who looked down on him with a grin.

"Yes?"

"What's with the height here? Are you bigger? Or am I..."

"You are," Hosha said with a smile, walking around the miffed little man.

"Why?" Taylor huffed. Why was he short? He didn't want to be short. He didn't feel as threatening and powerful being this small. He felt bad for M&M.

"It will be helpful to you. The forces of darkness in this story search for the Halflings," Hosha explained to Taylor.

"Oh, sense made. Understood," Taylor said as he flicked through the story in his mind. She was, of course, right. As usual.

"Besides, your power does not have any correlation with your size. You would be just as powerful whether you were as big as an elephant or as small as a mouse."

"Hobbit size will do fine, thank you. So what now? What are your all glorious instructions for my ever so important mission?" Taylor asked, looking up at her expectantly.

Hosha leaned down so that her nose was almost flush to Taylor's. "Save the world." And with that, she burst into millions upon billions of little dusty particles that evaporated into air around him, leaving Taylor alone, and again a bit miffed.

"Oh, right!" Taylor said loudly, annoyed. What the hell was he supposed to do? He didn't even know where he was! Of course, she would have only told him that 'everything will fall into place on its own, all he had to do was wait'. For the first time, he really looked around at his surroundings. He stood at the base of a rocky hill, near the mouth of the small cave he came out of. It was all browns and greens as far as the eye could see with all the tall trees, underbrush, grass, and forest floor. There were spots of color here and there from flowers, but overall there was a pleasant calm earthy feel.

But the calm earthy feel went fleetly from his body as Taylor picked up another sensation. Immediately all his senses were on high alert. A darkness, a force of power that didn't sit right with him. It was wrong and not congealing, it didn't fit the aura of the world he was in; it wasn't supposed to be there. But most disturbing of all to him was that it felt familiar. He growled and looked around him. It couldn't be. Not again. Not here.

_Taylor_. A voice floated into his mind. Neah.

"I hear you babe, what's happening?" Taylor asked, concerned. Was his presence already having a big effect on things?

_The story's wrong._

"How? What's wrong?"

_Uruk-Hai. Five of them, to your left. About, fifty yards._

"Now? They aren't supposed to happen yet." Taylor squinted to his left and heightened his visual acuity.

_We know, they just, appeared._ Then he saw them. Five large gray beastly creatures stalking through the woods. _They're hunting._

"Hunting what?" He asked, not entirely sure he wanted to hear what he knew was coming.

_Hobbits. Go!_

Taylor bolted

The Uruk-Hai moved quietly as they stalked their small and oblivious quarry. There was an uncharacteristic feel to this movement. They were supposed to be barbaric, feral beings, only interested in blood. Not so calculating. They seemed to have a direct plan, a chilling order to their movements that made it seem as if they worked from one mind. They slowly began to fan out as they moved to surround the happy chattering Hobbits.

Two of the beasts let out quick grunts and then fell to the ground. The others wheeled around, scanning the forest, not even bothering to look at their fallen comrades, who lay still with arrows protruding from their skulls. A quiet thump on the ground near the group made them turn to look, and growl.

Taylor stood, battle ready. Sword drawn, feet apart, hair hanging down giving him a haunting appearance for someone only four feet tall, hunched in attack position. "You don't belong here," he growled.

The leader of the Uruk-Hai growled and pointed a gray finger at him. "Halfling!" He snarled.

"You wish," Taylor said.

The three beasts sprang at him. Taylor launched himself up off the ground so that he flipped over their heads and landed behind them, slicing off the head of the closest Uruk on the way down. The other two turned back at him and roared, swinging their swords down ferociously. Taylor dodged and moved away, faster than the eye could see.

The Uruks came at him again, sending Taylor running up the nearest tree trunk and flipping backwards over the heads of the beasts, kicking one back across the small clearing and skewering the other through and tacking it onto the tree. The beast lashed about wildly, unfazed by its impalement, until Taylor leaped up onto its back. The Uruk thrashed its arms around, clawing at the small boy clinging around its neck, desperately trying to throw him off. Taylor got a grip on its chin and forehead, then snap, the Uruk's neck broke and it slumped forward against the tree.

Taylor pushed himself back and onto the ground again. He stood panting, quietly tuning into the surroundings, wondering where the other beast had gone during all of that. A sense of darkness suddenly washed through his veins, chilling him. I see You. A female voice whispered in his mind, a voice he couldn't quite place and wouldn't have time to think on.

He cried out in surprise as a searing pain shot through his back and into his belly. He looked down to see the tip of an arrow sticking out through his shirt, a small bit of blood accompanying it. He felt a dizzy wave flash through him and he slowly turned around to see the lead Uruk-Hai behind him notching an arrow for another shot.

"I don't think so," Taylor growled through gritted teeth.

As the beast raised the bow to fire, it saw the boy flash white and release a primal scream. Then, from the body of the boy, lightning came flashing out, striking the last of the Uruk-Hai with unlimited bolts of continuous electrical energy until its entire body had been fried to a smoldering crisp.

Taylor stood panting quietly amidst the bodies as he reached behind him to the arrow. "Ah!" with a quick pull it was out and he fell to his knees. The blood from his body poured out into his waiting hand. _'Heal,'_ he thought in his mind and his body responded, beginning the slow process of repair.

In an airy dazed state he watched as the bodies of the Uruk-Hai began to shiver and morph, oozing together to come and mold into a solitary figure before him. He looked up to see Her smiling down at him, once again feeling the cold chill of familiar darkness. "How?" He whispered in dazed confusion as she bent over to kiss him on the forehead.

"Be seeing you, Baby," she whispered, and faded away into the forest air.

"Oh, sure, fade away. Leave me here," He said in a dazed non caring voice. He then registered a gasp from behind him. He turned to see four familiar Hobbits looking down at him. "Oh, hi," Taylor said and waved at them (using the hand with the arrow in it, the other pressed to his stomach). "I think, I think..." he said as the others gaped at him wide eyed, "I'm passing out now."

Then the world went black.

_She watched as the small Hobbits lifted the injured boy off of the ground. She smiled to herself; everything was coming along perfectly._

End of Chapter Three. Again, Questions and Comments and Critiques will be welcomed and considered to the best of my ability.

Taylor the Implicative


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